In a move aimed at improving educational planning and policy formulation, the Kwara State Government has initiated a comprehensive school census to generate reliable data for future educational reforms.
The initiative, led by the Commissioner for Education and Human Capital Development, Dr. Lawal Olohungbebe, was unveiled during a stakeholders’ engagement meeting with Education Management Information System (EMIS) officials from all 16 Local Government Areas. The meeting took place on Tuesday at the Ministry’s headquarters in Ilorin.
In his opening remarks, Dr. Olohungbebe underscored the critical role that accurate and timely data plays in shaping effective education policies and fostering sustainable growth. He stressed the importance of building the education sector on credible data to ensure informed decision-making and better planning.
“We are committed to ensuring that all education policies are based on reliable data,” Dr. Olohungbebe said. “Without dependable statistics, making effective decisions and planning for the future becomes impossible.”
He urged school heads to collaborate with EMIS officials, ensuring timely and accurate information is provided while also advising them against exceeding their schools’ capacity by admitting more students than they can accommodate. He also praised the unwavering support of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq for the education sector’s reforms.
Professor Raheem Adaramaja, Executive Chairman of the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), highlighted the importance of EMIS in strengthening the state’s school system. He emphasized that the engagement would improve data collection, making it more effective and robust across various educational assignments.
In her remarks, Permanent Secretary Mrs. Olanrewaju Rebecca Bake acknowledged the critical role of stakeholder collaboration in ensuring comprehensive data coverage. She encouraged participants to share their experiences and develop strategies to ensure the success of the 2024/2025 school census.
Mallam Adeshina Azeez, Director of Education Planning, Research, and Development, disclosed that the upcoming EMIS exercise would integrate both analogue and digital tools, ensuring the collection process is accurate, efficient, and reliable.
The event was attended by representatives from key educational bodies, including the Kwara State Bureau of Statistics, Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM), SUBEB, All Nigeria Confederation of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPSS), Association of Primary School Head Teachers of Nigeria (AOPSHON), and the Civil Society Action Coalition on Education for All (CSACEFA), demonstrating broad support for the initiative.
Through this effort, the Kwara State Government aims to build a strong foundation for its educational policies and ensure a well-planned future for the state’s education system.
